Let me kick this off with a classic: "A Confederacy of Dunces," John Kennedy Toole, an absolute comic tour du force. Basically any Vonnegut novel.

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams Any Discworld books by Terry Pratchett Any book by P.G. Wodehouse (Personally I didn't think A Confederacy of Dunces was as funny as it's claimed to be but that's just me) Comedy snippets books Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations by Simon Rich This is a Book by Demetri Martin

Novels/Writings for Rom-Coms: Taming of a Shrew, Twelfth Night, Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado about Nothing--Shakespeare Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility--Austen The Princess Bride--Goldman

I'm happy to see you beat me on posting Terry Pratchett, Scott. I agree completely: brilliant comic writing. I'm hoping to introduce my mom and my aunts to his books this summer. It's been a while since I read them. Which book would you give to someone as a good representative to get them hooked?

In January 2009, the Guardian’s Review team and a panel of expert judges built up a list of the best novels from any decade and in any language: 1000 novels everyone must read: the definitive list The first section is dedicated to comedy, and may help with your brainstorming--as well as filling out your summer reading- and Christmas wish lists!

Traci, that's a great list! Scott has said that we'll probably tag a special look at rom-coms on to the end of the series, so I'm going to pull out your suggestions and put them in their own rom-com file towards that so they don't get lost. Scott, can we also get a referee call here? In general, should plays go under fiction, non-fiction, or "other resources"? There's a lot we can learn from playwrights, most particularly for the comedy genre, and I have some suggestions I'd like to add, too. (The librarian in me is leaning toward "other resources"...but I'm most interested in where people will go to look for them in the future.)

If you like Pratchett, I'd *highly* recommend Robert Rankin.

I've never heard of him. Thank you for the recommendation! I'll try to track him down. Thanks, Pliny.

D'oh! I've jumped the Rom-Com gun all week, sorry!

No sweat. I don't want all your great contributions to get lost. I've got your back. :)

I asked my friend David Maister who teaches classes on early American comedy in Boston for his recommendations, and here's what he had to say: > When you say "comic fiction" or "writing comedy" I assume you are differentiating that from humorous writers. For example, I love Dave Barry and, say, Erma Bombeck, but neither really write/wrote comic fiction, in my view, although they do/did write very funny stuff. There are a LOT of humorous columnists I like a lot - Fran Leibowitz, Russell Baker, Calvin Trillin. I think his distinction is a good one. "Humor writers" are closer to stand-up comedians in my book: they make funny observations, but I think screenwriters can (probably) learn more from writers (like Pratchett or Adams) who derive comedy from situation, character, and dialogue. But I'm open to contradiction: what do you think? David's recommendations: > So, who were the true greats of "comic fiction"? > I'd put James Thurber at the very top, followed by Robert Benchley and S.J. Perelman. Nora Ephron's up there. (Dorothy Parker is not - her verse is fabulous, but her stories, while often brilliant, are sad rather than comedy.) > Leo Rosten (The Education of Hyman Kaplan) is one of the greats > I'm not a Woody Allen fan, though most people are. Mark Twain is of a different time, but still wonderful > I think (today's) David Sedaris is as good as anyone who ever wrote humorous pieces - a true classic, who will last for centuries. I have my doubts about Garrison Keillor - I like listening to him, but he's VERY repetitive (limited range) and I don't think it works as well on the page as it does on radio.

CATCH-22 by Joseph Heller MONEY by Martin Amis CATCHER IN THE RYE by Holden Caulfield I wouldn't say any of these are straight comic novels as such but they're all screamingly funny in parts, at least to me.

AAAARGH meant CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. SALINGER obviously...

If we're talking in terms of historical greatness, then there's Jonathan Swift and everybody else. Even the word Swiftian is used to describe a subtle but razor sharp cutting wit. But, I'd also include Dickens, Samuel Beckett, Rabelais, Vonnegut among others.

Dear Shaula, Now, I know you said to *hold* the RomCom books for later, but just so that I don't forget, here's a really great one: 1.) Writing The Romantic Comedy - by Billy Mernit also: 2.) Show Me The Funny - Peter Desberg & Jeffrey Davis 3.) How To Be Funny (Discovering the Comic You) - by Steve Allen with Jane Wollman 4.) Make 'Em Laugh - by Steve Allen 5.) Bossypants - by Tina Fey 6.) Seriously . . . I'm Kidding - by Ellen DeGeneres A friend of mine studied one summer out at The Second City in Chicago. He reports back that these are the 2 books they used: 7.) The Comic Toolbox - by John Vorhaus 8.) Writing the Comedy Film - by Stuart Voytilla and Scott Petri And to think that my mother believes that I never spend time with The Great Books! John A

I have never been to Steve Kaplan's Comedy Feature Writing Workshop but I have read interview with him. Steve Kaplan's work with people is amazing as well as his understanding about comedy. I understand he is to write a book to be released in 2013 - I hope I have not imagined it!

For just plain funny as opposed to HOW TO 1.) Mystery Man-Murder, Mayhem and Damn Sexy Trousers by Colin Bateman The 1st in a series & whilst the others are also hilarious, I consider the original the best. In fact anything by Bateman is excellent in terms of pace, humour, situation and visuals with well drawn protagonists. He writes a lot for T.V. & it tells in his novel writing. 2.) In my Sister's Shoes by Sinead Moriarty (Not to be confused with the film In Her Shoes). Definitely more for a female audience but anyone I know who has ever read it has both laughed and cried. Characters good-humouredly leap off the pages. Very light and you would easily read it in a day, so if you just fancy a laugh, worth picking up. 3.) High Fidelity by Nick Hornby Any Nick Hornby novel is really strong on visuals but seeing as we're doing lists, I thought I'd include an homage to the ultimate list compiler, Rob Fleming. 4.) One Day by David Nicholls I know it falls into Rom Com but the nostalgia visuals in the book throughout the early decades are very funny, reminiscent of The Wedding Singer. I would third 5.) Terry Pratchett (or fourth not sure how many have plumped for him here so far), although it's also been a long time since I read the series. I was enthralled by the world on the back of the turtle. From the point of view of humour, I particularly liked the one involving Death as the main character when he goes on a sabbatical but can't remember which one that was? Anyone?

Second Confederacy of Dunces. Another favorite is Cat's Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut.

I think the Pratchett book you're after is called Mort.

Colour of Magic probably the best to start with since it was the start of the series. Light Fantastic was 2nd book so it's good as well. Wikipedia has a good list of the publications and subjects. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discworld#Novels

a few we'd highly recommend: white noise by don delillo straight man by richard russo erasure by percival everett henderson the rain king by saul bellow the end of vandalism by tom drury indecision by benjamin kunkel special topics in calamity physics by marrisa pessl jesus' son by denis johnson

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

We just watched the TV adaptation of Colour of Magic together, so maybe I'll start her with Light Fantastic. Thank you, Scott. Why are Pratchett's books so hard to adapt? The complexity? Or the focus on the adaptations to "quirkiness" over character and story? As much as I love the books, I've never been fully satisfied with Pratchett on screen.

Great list, Pliny. I'd throw Alexander Pope in among the "everybody else" next to Swift, too.

John, those are some tremendous books. And I'm writing this as a note to myself (!) to make sure I add them to the list of non-fiction books on comedy.

I haven't taken his workshops either but I've heard great things about it, too. If you still have any of those interview links, would you share them when the "other resources" post goes live? A book from Steve Kaplan would be a great thing.

TwotrickponySF, you get Canadian Content bonus points for Saul Bellow! Mordecai Richler's books should be on the list, too. And, back on the south side of the border, Carl Hiaasen is one my list. I'm surprised more of his novels haven't been adapted to film. Our list so far is skewing pretty heavily male. Where are all the funny women writers?

Part of it I think is the descriptions and the way the writing is used to reveal information. Translating to the screen loses that. Especially critical in comedy. Even p g Wodehouse loses some feeling on adaption.

His classes are good. I took a short expo class and later his full class. Lots of notes taken and truths defined.

Stand It By Stroker Ace. This was a hilarious novel written pseudonymously by two motor sports journalists. Hal Needham directed a film version with Burt Reynolds and absolutely butchered it . I understand that a number of better screenplays were written and rejected, one by Brock Yates and one by P.J. O' Rourke. The book is worth reading in its own right, and along with viewing the movie "Stroker Ace" as a cautionary tale. http://www.amazon.com/Stand-It-Stroker-Ace/dp/0380636697/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342985702&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=stand+on+t+by+stroker+ace

The title should be, "Stand On It By Stroker Ace." D'oh.

I asked around and got some great recommendation on contemporary women writers who write great comic novels and stories: Lynn Coady - Strange Heaven Helen Fielding Zsuzsi Gartner - Better Living Through Plastic Explosives (2011) Ann Patchett Miram Toews - A Complicated Kindness

We left out the Russians! Nikolai Gogol - The Nose Mikhail Bulgakov - The Master and Margerita

Recap of suggestions so far: Title Recommendations Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations by Simon Rich Better Living Through Plastic Explosives (2011) by Zsuzsi Gartner Catch-22 by Joseph Heller Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut A Complicated Kindness by Miram Toews A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole The end of vandalism by Tom Drury Erasure by Percival Everett Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett Henderson the Rain King by Saul Bellow High Fidelity by Nick Hornby Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams Indecision by Benjamin Kunkel In my Sister’s Shoes by Sinead Moriarty Jesus’ Son by Denis Johnson The Master and Margerita by Mikhail Bulgakov The Nose by Nikolai Gogol Stand On It by Stroker Ace This is a Book by Demetri Martin Money by Martin Amis Mystery Man-Murder, Mayhem and Damn Sexy Trousers by Colin Bateman One Day by David Nicholls Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marrisa Pessl Straight Man by Richard Russo Strange Heaven by Lynn Coady White Noise by Don Delillo Author Recommendations Samuel Beckett Robert Benchley Charles Dickens Nora Ephron Helen Fielding Carl Hiaasen Ann Patchett S.J. Perelman Terry Pratchett – Discworld books Rabelais Robert Rankin Mordecai Richler Leo Rostin David Sedaris Jonathan Swift James Thurber Mark Twain Kurt Vonnegut P.G. Wodehouse